This week we got a chance to talk with Grace Petzold, and let me tell you, this girl is a powerhouse!
From being selected to be on & compete with the 2018 USA Water Ski Show Team at the 4th IWWF Show Ski World Championships, Sept. 7-9, 2018 in Ontario, Canada, to winning the highly honorable Betty Bonifay Award (Outstanding Female Show Skier) at the 2018 Southern Regional Show Ski Championships! In 2016 and 2017 she was the Girls 3 Barefoot National Overall Champion...could she be any more impressive? YES! Grace loves everything about water skiing and just spending time on the water. She told us she was just so moved when she had the opportunity to water ski with her mom, Wendy, who uses a wheelchair. That day became one of her most favorite memories! After this experience, and with the help and support of parents, Andrew and Wendy Petzold, Grace founded Graceful Wakes, Inc, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. She wanted to provide the opportunity to water ski to individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities, many of whom normally don’t have the equipment or resources to do so.
​Okay, I need a tissue now.. Let's dive in with Graceful Wakes!

How long has Graceful Wakes been affiliated with USA Water Ski & Wake Sports?3 years!

What is your favorite thing about sharing #LifeOnTheWater?Our favorite thing about sharing #LifeOnTheWater is seeing the reactions of the individuals when they are able to experience the thrill and freedom of water skiing for the first time. Many times, their hands go flying up in the air, a smile spreads across their face, and they let out squeals of glee. They can’t wait for their next turn to water ski, and many have returned the following year to ski with us again!

We also love seeing the joy brought to the family members of the participants as they see their loved one being able to participate in something they may have not thought possible. Many times, these family members begin to cry tears of joy, especially the parents of the young children.

When we are able to see the pure joy radiating from a new skier’s face or the emotions coming from their family members, all of our volunteers feel joy as well, and it makes all of our hard work totally worth it.

What is Graceful Wakes biggest accomplishment?One of Graceful Wakes’ biggest accomplishments was organizing the adaptive part of the 2017 Chain of Records in which we set the NSSA record for the most adaptive water skiers pulled behind a boat at one time… a total of 9 skiers!!! This was a big moment for us and the skiers, and we couldn’t have down it without all of our amazing side skiers and volunteers.

Another big accomplishment of Graceful Wakes is that over the past 3 years, we have gotten many skiers with disabilities out on the water for their first time ever through the adaptive water ski clinics we host. Being able to create the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to be able to water ski is what Graceful Wakes is all about.

Where did the name Graceful Wakes come from?When we were brainstorming names for our organization, we knew we wanted something related to water skiing or being on the water. Somehow, my dad came up with the name Graceful Wakes. At first, I was a little hesitant of the name because my name is Grace, and I didn’t really want my own name in the name for our organization. After a couple of days though, the name Graceful Wakes kind of just stuck, and we all loved it!

Why do you choose to host adaptive events like this past one you had in Eagle River, Wisconsin?
​(Check out the awesome footage below)We host adaptive water ski clinics in Northern Wisconsin because the Northwoods holds a special place in all of my family members’ hearts; it is where I first learned to water ski, and every summer, my family spends a couple of weeks there.

In addition, Eagle River, Wisconsin is also significant to some of my fellow members on the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team (Winter Haven, Florida). Many of them who come up every year to help with the clinic have roots tying back to Eagle River as it is the place they grew up skiing with the Chain Skimmers Water Ski Show Team.

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This week we caught up with Stacy Norred and Tony Klarich, who just so happened to spend their weekend skiing & hydrofoiling behind A BLIMP!! Stacy & Tony gave us the inside scoop about how this all went down. From flying through the air, to hearing only the sound of the water as they were gliding through it, a truly once in a lifetime experience. 9 Guinness World records are currently pending from this awesome 2 day event and 2 became official the day the event took place! Checkout the official T-Mobile commercial below as well as what our two members had to say about this incredible experience.

Who was involved in this event?Stacy:Air Sign, marketing and advertising, it was inspired by 1930’s Richard Branson World record skiing behind a blimp. T-Mobile was showcasing their new Samsung 9 phone, and how incredibly FAST it is!

Tony:The chance for the ride of a lifetime came from a simple call from my fellow club showskier Stacy Norred. I followed her lead and was invited by the organizer to come down along with about a dozen other local collegiate and tournament skiers from the area. The event was a promo to celebratethe release of the Samsung Galaxy 9 phone( as mentioned above) and we tried to break records based inmultiples of 9. They even had an adjudicator from Guinness World Record out to witnessthe attempts - blue blazer and English accent included. As the event unfolded we foundthat only 3 of the proposed records were pre-sanctioned by Guinness: furthest distanceskiing behind a blimp (9km), fastest texting behind a blimp while skiing, and 9 skiersbehind a blimp at one time. The event organizers had a list of other proposed records likefurthest distance on a kneeboard and wakeboard (trying for 9km), most flips on akneeboard and wakeboard (trying for 9), etc.

T-Mobile teamed up with Guinness World Records to launch the Galaxy S9 & S9 Plus with an EPIC speed test, breaking two world records in the process - including fastest text on a touchscreen mobile phone while water skiing!

What speed were you going?
​Stacy:So it was two days of skiing, the first day I was on jumpers. Probably going around 22mph, the water was so rough! The second day I swiveled and I asked them if they could go as slow as they could...we were going about 18-20mph. (That is pretty fast, considering the average swivel speed is anywhere from 14-15mph.)

Tony: The blimp powered up to over 30 mph, so I throttled him down to around 26-27. I decided to go “off the board” with the sit down hydrofoil, and be the first one to flip behind a blimp.

Where did you take off from? (Did it pull you off the dock or did you do a deep start?)Stacy: Deep Start, well, flying deep start (haha)! It pretty much pulled me up and out of the water, into the air and then I landed back on the water and started skiing. It was AWESOME!!There was a jet skier and two chase boats. The jet skier grabbed the rope dragging in the water and then brought it to me, I had about 8 seconds between the time I had grip on the handle and when I was going, the rope was 300 ft long and very springy!

Tony: My goal was 9 flips followed by a 9km ride, and then some show time until I fell. That
was a tall order when about half of the riders missed their deepwater starts.
I strapped into my foil, tried to calm my racing heart and waited in awe as the blimp
turned into the ski pattern. As a kid I remember the GoodYear blimp occasionally flying
over my house and that was a great thrill. Now the T-Mobile blimp was only 150 feet
over my head, and coming for me! A rider on a PWC retrieved the handle an zoomed it
up for a nerve-wracking transfer. The blimp went to neutral while it passed directly
overhead. I kept repeating to myself “you will make this start and land every flip…stay
back..”
The line came tight, but there was a delay - the rope was a 300-foot long rubber band! I
leaned back hard and still just barely avoided being pulled out the front. Whew! First
challenge down. He reduced his altitude and we locked in the flight pattern. He was an
amazing pilot for such a large craft. I took a few moments to revel in the ride, It was the
longest rope I have ever skied on. And it went out and up a long way to a giant white
blimp. I snapped back from reverence to reality: my rope was a bungee cord. I wasn’t worried so much about the flip, it was serious concern about but trying to ride away while hanging on to a noodle. I tested
the waters with a few jumps. Everything felt surprisingly normal except the miles of
slack and spring in the rope. It was now or never and every ounce of my being
concentrated on perfect form. The thrill of the blimp ride faded away as I put myself in
the zone. The first flip was perfect! Even with the rope recoil I had landed so perfectly
that it was not a problem. “Stay focused” I reminded myself, “you got lucky”. It became
a countdown for 9 flips, and I nearly fell twice during the attempt. It really took
everything I had to pull it off. After landing my 9th flip I got super pumped, realizing this
was something really special. Fist pumps and primal screams ensued. After a minute of
celebration it was time to settle down and go for the distance record. Off course I could
make the distance, but my major worry was hitting something in the water like a fish, as
happens every so often while foiling. It was just a few seconds into the first leg of the
first lap that I did hit something and found myself instantly in the water, wistfully
watching my beautiful balloon motoring away. What a ride!​​

How long have you been a member of USA Water Ski and Wake Sports?Tony:20+ yearsStacy:9 years! I am also very excited about USA-WSWS name change, I think it provides more inclusion to water sports enthusiasts and will help grow our sport even more.

Hydrofoiling and Swiveling Behind a BLIMP! It's easy to see your enthusiasm and passion for our sport. What is your definition of #LifeOnTheWater? ​Stacy:Simply put, enjoying time on the water with friends and family!Water skiing has brought so much to my life, my 7 year old daughter just recently asked for a swivel ski, and for me that's when it all came full circle and that is why I love #LifeOnTheWater .

Tony: Surprisingly enough I have wanted to ski behind a blimp. After making a bit of a splashby riding 50 different things in one day to celebrate my 50th birthday I have made a listof all the things I would like to ski BEHIND. My list was inspired by an article in the1970s “The Water Skier” magazine. The story featured a guy who had ridden behindeight or nine things, and was even trying to get a tow by a train. My dream list has morethan two dozen tow ideas, anybody know someone with access to a submarine?#LifeOnTheWateris very personal to me. It’s a lifetime endeavor of family and friends,inspiring each other to new ways of riding.

ONE MORE THING...

​​If you, your family or ski club have an interest in being featured in our Membership Spotlight Blog please email stoolan@usawaterski.orgwith your story for a chance to be featured or shout us out on your social media posts by tagging #lifeonthewater! We have members all around the U.S and even around the world! We want to hear from you!
​
For the latest updates, events and awesome resources for EVERYTHING water skiing and wake sports, check out our website

By joining USA Water Ski as a member, you become part of something bigger. We are recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and represent nine sport discipline organizations. We organize competitions and standardize a fair playing field for our athletes. In addition to competitions, we provide grassroots events aimed to educate and train beginning skiers. We know thousands of people that love to get on the water, and it is our goal to connect people across the nation who share a passion for life on the water. ​​

After affiliating their Camp with USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, we caught up with Camp Cobbossee Director, Josh Holland and Recruitment Director, Matt Jones to learn all about the incredible experience that this camp provides! Camp Cobbosse has many different components that make up their camp, including:

When we caught up with Director's Josh Holland and Matt Jones, we learned all about Camp Cobbossee and more specifically about their Waterfront side of things!

What is Camp Cobbossee all about ? Camp Cobbossee is Maine’s premiere four-week sleepaway camp for boys. We are known for our caring and fun-loving staff, spectacular location, and careful attention to each boy. Through excellent sports coaching, high-end adventure, a nurturing, brotherly social environment, we do nothing less than change lives. Most importantly, it’s unbelievably fun! This is true for the counselors and the campers. ​

When did Camp Cobbossee start up the "Waterfront" program?
​Our camp director, Josh Holland, was a waterfront fanatic as he came up through the ranks. He ran his own waterfront at a large camp in New Hampshire and also founded the Waterfront Leadership School. The Cobbossee waterfront was rejuvenated 5 years ago when Josh took over Cobbossee, though it had been in operations for years. With his extensive knowledge in waterfront management it has been transformed into one of the jewels of Cobbossee. These changes have been programmatic but also we’ve been building the physical aspects of our waterfront and wake sports program too! New hand-made wooden docks, and a few new boats are just the beginning.

What kind of ski boats do you have?
Because we offer water skiing, wakeboarding, knee boarding, and just tubing for fun, we have a diverse little squadron of boats for our different instruction needs:MastercraftMalibu SportstarMalibu I rideStingray

Why did Camp Cobbosse choose to affiliate with USA Water Ski & Wake Sports?
​It’s a natural fit. We offer a life-changing summer on a lake, teaching our boys the love of wake sports. USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is perfectly positioned to get the message out, and by helping us, can connect so many of your college-age athletes with the joy of teaching others. This is good for that counselor, good for Cobbossee, and good for USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, of course!

How can someone work at your Camp? What skill sets do you look for? (Specifically for your Waterfront Area) It’s important to note here that wake-sports instructors are ALSO counselors. So it’s the best of both worlds: a ton of sun, water, (safe) speed, and joy on our huuuuuge lake, but also a ton of connection, mentorship, leadership and looking after people younger than oneself. If I tried to count how many times our wake sports staff have said “best summer of my life” I’d not be able to answer the rest of your questions.

​Skills / Traits: 21 years old by June 21, 2018 Can drive wake-sport boats responsibly and safely Can instruct EITHER wakeboarding or water skiing Works well on a team Likes to work hard Is kind, fun-loving and patient Willing to become trained to part of our safety team on the waterfront (we will train incoming staff as American Red Cross lifeguards) Is excited about being a cabin counselor as well

Why should our members send their boys to your summer camp? Why should someone, male or female apply to work at Camp Cobbosse?
​A Cobbossee camper’s interest include a strong interest in sports, improving his skills, learning new things, and having fun while connecting to others. Personality wise, our boys are good to each other, and tend not to be invested in social hierarchies or relational aggression. In addition to sports, Camp Cobbossee has an exceptional waterfront that offers water-skiing, sailing, swimming, canoeing/kayaking, and more.

​Our adventure program teaches our boys to ride mountain bikes, shoot bows, throw tomahawks, and fish. They also go on overnights where they will learn how to pitch a tent, cook on an open fire, and bond with their friends outside of camp. Everything we offer is centered around our core values of Brotherhood, Sportsmanship, and Community. A Cobbossee wake-sports instructor and counselor gets to experience one of the greatest gifts one can: doing the sport one loves best while being pushed beyond oneself to be an amazing counselor. People come and work for us and go on to professional sports coaching jobs, but also become teachers, counselors, and generally just wayyyy better with young people. Cobbossee makes your life better, no matter who you are. ​

Sooo... YOU WANT TO AFFILIATE YOUR CAMP OR SKI SCHOOL? CHECK OUT THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN MORE!

Through every American era since the turn of the century, Cobbossee has been a bedrock for the boys who attend it. In the early 1930s, despite the crisis gripping the nation, Cobbossee grew, moving from tents to simply wooden cabins.

“In spite of its rapid rise in the realm of spectator sports and shows, water skiing is, first and foremost, a family affair” “LET’S GO WATER SKIING” by Thomas C. Hardman and William D. Clifford of the American Water Ski Association

This week we caught up with the O'Connor family!
Paul, Joey, Mali (9) and Cal (7).Paul and Joey are long time USA Water Ski members and professional athletes who are all about sharing their incredible passion and talent with their next generation. They are both members of the Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team along with their two kids. Paul is a full time stunt man and the #1 fan of his family, you can catch him stunt doubling for some of the biggest names in Hollywood and when he's not working you'll see him skiing alongside his family. He is an absolutely incredible skier, I really don't think there is much he can't do! He's won countless awards and received numerous accolades, from winning National Titles, to wowing audiences with Mobes and 720's effortlessly, yet still humility is all that you'll get when you meet this guy! Joey runs the kids program for the club as well and stars in the main show, showing off her beautiful swivel skills and strength when she's the center girl in a four tier pyramid! #GirlPower Both kids Mali and Cal do their parts in the show as well, performing doubles, swivel, wakeboard, ballet and jump!It was so inspiring to talk to this family, to just see and feel the love and passion they share for this sport, but most importantly for each other.

Who got you involved with water skiing and wake sports?Joey: My Dad and Mom signed our family up on the Oconto Skiing Patriots in Wisconsin when I was 8 and my brother was 6. We spent many summers playing on the Oconto River. Paul: My Mom signed me up for Spray Masters in Michigan and Kurt Bemman spent many hours pulling me.
We signed our family up on the Cypress Gardens Team in 2012.

What is your favorite thing to do when you’re on the water?Joey: I mostly enjoy watching my kids do what they love on water and seeing their feeling of accomplishment when they make something they've been trying so long to get (Mali's toe turns and Cal's jump ride-overs.) I love holding my little girl on 4 tiers though, while climbing on Paul...just need to find a spot for Cal in there (some day!) Paul: The Marshmallow bandits actMali explaining further: I'm doing doubles with my dad, my mom is attached behind him, while swiveling and she tows Cal behind her while he goes off a kicker jump. It takes our whole family and it's so fun!Cal: Jumping Mali: Doing doubles with my dad!

What are your biggest accomplishments within this industry?Joey: My biggest accomplishment is Mark Voisard asking Val Berglund and I to start a Cypress Gardens WIP Team (Work In Progress/Jr. Team.) It's funny how your views change after having kids and seeing where and what you get your joy from! I am not only a proud mom, but a proud wife. Although Paul is not able to risk his career by jumping these days, I will never forget his first time skiing "The Jawdropper" at State, as well as being a part of the first USA Waterski Show Team representing our country at worlds.Cal: I think I am the youngest person to make a ride over a 5 1/2 foot jump, and I made my second ride-over I tried.Mali: Toe Turns!

When did you become a member of USA Water Ski? (How long have you been members of USA Water Ski?)
Paul: 20 years, I was around 13 years old.Joey: My first year was when I was 8 years old, so a few years ago hehe!Mali and Cal: We joined Cypress Gardens Waterski Team as a family in 2012.

Where has water skiing taken you?Joey: Paul and I traveled a bit before meeting each other. He skied in Germany, China and California and I skied in Germany for 4 years, Holland, Australia, California and Ecuador. We both skied at Tommy Bartlett's as well and I now work part time for Stars of Florida at LEGOLAND Florida Resort. It has taken us many more places than where we worked though, through the special friendships we've made. We can not wait for the day when we get to take Mali and Cal to where we met in Germany at Holiday Park!

Paul center, Joey left second tier. Holiday Park, Germany.

​Why is water skiing important to your family?
Paul: It's the best being able to ski with Joey and the kids in a show, to be able to share something with my family that I love. Water skiing led me to see and experience things I never would have seen or done, it also led to meet my wife Joey and for that I will always be grateful for this sport.
​Joey: We both grew up on amateur waterski teams and appreciate our parents getting us involved and spending summers on the river/lake. There aren't many sports you can compete in with your entire family, it is so unique that way. We cherish the other families on our Cypress Gardens and Mad-City Teams who see the importance in this. Cal and Mali adore the many friendships they've made on The Cypress Gardens Team and love their time off the water almost as much as on the water.Mali: It brings everyone together, because we all love to do it.

Do you have any advice for people/families in our industry? Joey: Take time to go out with the families you ski with on your team and do something other than water ski! One of our favorite times was going bowling with all 60 plus people. Our Cypress Gardens Team is definitely a mix of people from all over the US and a lot of us do not have family close by. We take time to celebrate each other's birthdays and go out as a "Ski Family." For a team that goes 12 months of the year-these times are so important in creating a bond.

​Thanks so much to the O'Connors for giving us a glimpse of their family and continuing to support USA Water Ski. It's awesome to see our members share their passions and teach future generations about this spectacular sport we all know and love!

​USA Water Ski is the national governing body of towed water sports in the United States. We represent, connect, and advocate for boat owners, water skiers, wakeboarders, kneeboarders, show skiers, barefooters, skiers with disabilities, and more! We also organize competitions, help our members host events, and connect enthusiasts across the country. USA Water Ski is THE original social network for people that love life on the water!

ONE MORE THING...

​If you, your family or ski club have an interest in being featured in our Membership Spotlight Blog please email stoolan@usawaterski.orgwith your story for a chance to be featured or shout us out on your social media posts by tagging #lifeonthewater! We have members all around the U.S and even around the world! We want to hear from you!
​
For the latest updates, events and awesome resources for EVERYTHING water skiing and wake sports, please check out or website below!

By joining USA Water Ski as a member, you become part of something bigger. We are recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and represent nine sport discipline organizations. We organize competitions and standardize a fair playing field for our athletes. In addition to competitions, we provide grassroots events aimed to educate and train beginning skiers. We know thousands of people that love to get on the water, and it is our goal to connect people across the nation who share a passion for life on the water. ​​

As the winners of our 2017 Club Growth Challenge, we reached out to the Nipmuc Water Ski Club to learn about the successes of their team in 2017!

What’s the story behind your club? How did it get it’s beginning?The club was formed in 1954 on Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg in Webster, Massachusetts and within its first year ran two ski shows on the lake that helped raise funds ($132) for the club's first ski jump. The club quickly grew from a membership of 32 in 1954 to well over 100 members by the end of the 1950's while continuing to perform shows and three-event tournaments as well as ski shows in Webster and the surrounding towns in south-central Massachusetts.

In 1960, the club hosted the first Eastern Regional Tournament at Memorial Beach in Webster, with club members Dave Lapierre and Ursie Bonczek winning Mixed Doubles and further representing the club in the 1960 Nationals in Minnesota.

The club continued to perform shows and tournaments throughout the 1960's benefiting many charities and local organizations, culminating in the hosting the 1962 Eastern Regionals and the 1964 National Water Ski Championships on Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg.

The club continued to grow and host tournaments and ski shows throughout our 64 year history, and has always held true to our family-friendly roots. Our club continues to regularly send representatives to the AWSA Eastern Regionals, AWSA National Championships, and also to the Eastern Regional Show Ski Championships.

Today the club continues to operate as a family friendly club with members of all ages, ski levels and interests.

​What type of events does your club participate in? We participate in all levels of skiing – including show skiing, three event, wake-boarding, knee boarding, and hydrofoil. We have all ski levels and age groups, our youngest skier being four years old and our oldest at 76 (and an original 1954 club member!).

What are some of the biggest accomplishments of your club this past year?This past year we had a dozen members safety certified and we also certified 11 tow boat and pick up boat drivers. Club member David Kokernak came in first place (Overall score) in the Men’s Division 4 Eastern Regionals and member Reanna Kudzal finishing in third place for Swivel Ski 180 Competition at the Eastern Regional Show Ski Tournament. Our great year culminated with an acclaimed ski show to close out our 2017 ski season.

How have you managed to bring in so many new members?Over the past two years we've crafted our club bylaws to dispose of the membership caps listed in our previous years bylaws which in-turn has enabled us to raise operating capital. Our ski club is now able to operate 4 days of the week with the commitment from our boat drivers and shore help. Our club has also been more involved in outreach to the community and has organized numerous “Learn-To-Ski” days which are "HUGE" for the continued growth and future development of our club. For the public our learn to ski program has yielded over 50 first-time skiers getting up and hitting the water in 2017. The return of our annual ski shows have also increased the interest and prominence of the club in the surrounding area.

What does #lifeonthewater mean to your organization?Summer, Fun, Family and Friends. With long winters here in New England, we try to maximize every second that we can get on the water to ski.

Any other exciting information to share?Our club is continuing to grow and perform with more outreach to the community. We are working with our surrounding towns, businesses and non-profit organizations to promote skiing and safe boating within our community.

We are also very proud to have many of many of our members growing up with the club throughout the years and now have their own children and grandchildren participating with them in club activities.

USA Water Ski is proud to announce The Liquid Edgeas an affiliated dealer for 2017! Based in Farmer City, Illinois, this MasterCraft dealership and Water Ski School is owned by Doug Meeker, and has been in business for 10 years. The Liquid Edgeis open year round and specializes in MasterCraft Boats, and providing lessons for all levels of slalom, wakeboard, wake surf, cable, and recreational water skiing.

USA-WS: What is the facility like? The Liquid Edge: We have an onsite 30 acre private lake with slalom course on site, used daily in the summer for demoing skis, wake surfs, wake boards, boats, coaching and training. We also have a TLE Cable Park, and 2,600 sq ftProshop, full of a variety of gear from the top names in the industry; D3, Masterline, Connelly, HO, Radar ect. Additionally, there is a 4,400 sq ft Boat Showroom, displaying various models in the MasterCraft line. An offsite 90 acre private lake is also available for customers to rent to have access to private water and slalom course. We also own and operate www.overstockskis.com.

​USA-WS: What does the demo program include? The Liquid Edge: Pretty much any equipment in our inventory is available to be demoed. Most people will demo at least three skis before they make a decision. Also, we can have any MasterCraft boat in stock and on the water to demo in about two minutes. So, it's usually just a matter of customers telling us which boat they would like to try - we will always have a ProStar in stock!

USA-WS: How Did The Liquid Edge begin? The Liquid Edge: Doug and Kristin Meeker purchased the 30-acre lake to have their own place to ski and practice for slalom tournaments. Right away they had all kinds of people from around the area asking if they could ski on the lake, and if Doug could teach them. So, they started a ski school a few nights a week, which turned into a Proshop out of a snowmobile trailer, and ultimately a MasterCraft Dealership in 2007.

USA-WS: Describe what Life on the Water is to The Liquid Edge.The Liquid Edge: Well, between the two main guys in the shop, we’ve participated in just about every aspect of the waterski industry. We’ve been recreational skiers, show skiers, collegiate skiers, local tournament skiers, barefoot competitors, wakeboarders, wake surfers etc... The reason we are here today is because of the experiences that we’ve had with our family and friends on the water. However, we didn’t realize that this was what we were preparing ourselves for, we just did whatever we could to spend more time on the water.

We realized early in our lives that when we were skiing, or on the water in general, time seemed to slow down. That was when we spent time with our families and friends, and everyone was happy. That was what we couldn’t get enough of. There’s something special about the state of mind people fall into when they are on the boat, and we try to do whatever we can to encourage people to experience Life on the Water, and keep it exciting for those who already love it.

USA-WS: Anything else you would like to add? The Liquid Edge: In June 2017, we will host our first Slalom Ski Tournament with Wade Cox as our Grand Marshal. Our goal is to get as many new skiers on the water as possible. Everyone is welcome!